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Royals show determination with 8 comeback wins

The Royals were kings of the comeback on their way to being crowned World Series champions, rallying to win eight games this postseason in which they trailed.

Here's a look at how the Royals made it happen:

:: World Series: Mets vs. Royals coverage ::

American League Division Series Game 2
The Royals showed their playoff mettle early on against the Astros, overcoming a two-run deficit with two runs in the sixth inning and the go-ahead run in the seventh for a huge win to even the series 1-1 before heading on the road to face ace Dallas Keuchel in Game 3.

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Kansas City trailed after the top of the first and was behind on the scoreboard until Ben Zobrist finally gave the Royals the lead for good with a single to score Alcides Escobar two batters into the bottom of the seventh.

"I kept telling the boys: 'We've got a long way to go. Just keep plugging away,'" Royals manager Ned Yost said. "'Just keep plugging away. Let it happen. Don't try to make it happen. Just let it happen.' And it did."

Video: HOU@KC Gm2: Royals score two, knot score at 4 in 6th

ALDS Game 4
You knew the Royals had something special brewing when they rallied for five runs in the eighth inning to stave off elimination in Houston.

Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, the Royals saw their World Series hopes dwindle when the Astros crushed back-to-back homers off Ryan Madson to extend Houston's lead to 6-2. Not long after, the Royals used five singles to score five runs and turn the series around.

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"They just kept coming up to me and saying, 'We got you. Don't worry. It's not ending like this,'" Madson said. "And it didn't. They got fired up. I guess [my outing] is what it took."

Video: Must C Comeback: Royals' late heroics set up Game 5

ALDS Game 5
The Royals found themselves in another early hole after Johnny Cueto gave up a two-run homer to Luis Valbuena in the second inning. But Cueto rebounded to retire the last 19 batters and Kendrys Morales blasted a three-run home run in the fifth inning to help clinch the series for Kansas City.

"This team's not afraid to play with its back against the wall," Yost said. "These guys don't quit."

Video: Must C Clutch: Rios' RBI double gives Royals the lead

AL Championship Series Game 2
The Royals scored five runs in the seventh inning, thanks in part to a defensive miscue by the Blue Jays, to storm back from a three-run deficit.

Video: ALCS Gm2: Royals rally for five after bloop falls in

Zobrist got things going during the five-run frame with an innocent popup to right that dropped between right fielder Jose Bautista and second baseman Ryan Goins to lead off the inning. After that, the Royals reeled off five more hits to surge into the lead.

"Zobrist's ball, I think, got things going," Alex Gordon said. "And once this lineup gets moving, it's one guy after another."

Video: Must C Comeback: Royals complete comeback in Game 2

World Series Game 1
The Fall Classic began with an epic, 14-inning showdown that featured yet another Royals comeback.

Gordon sent the game to extras with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth off Mets closer Jeurys Familia, who had previously been lights-out. Five innings later, Hosmer finished things with a walk-off sacrifice fly.

Video: WS2015 Gm1: Gordon ties game with solo homer in 9th

"I'll tell you, we never get frustrated or hang our heads when we're down," Gordon said. "We always feel like we can come back and either make it a game or win the game. I think that speaks for our team chemistry, that we all pull together and we're fighting for one thing, and that's to get the W."

Video: Must C Clutch: Hosmer ends marathon with sac fly

World Series Game 2
Cueto pitched a two-hit complete game and the Royals won by six, but don't forget they faced a one-run deficit after four innings. Things turned in favor of the Royals in the fifth, when they used five singles to score four runs.

"We're putting the ball in play all night and just weren't catching any breaks," Mike Moustakas said. "We kept battling throughout the game, and then caught a break."

Video: WS2015 Gm2: Hosmer singles in two, puts Royals ahead

World Series Game 4
The Royals were down, 3-2, and were five outs away from a 2-2 Series tie with the Mets before scoring three runs in the eighth to stun New York with another unbelievable rally.

Kansas City took advantage of an error by Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, with Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain scoring on the play to tie the game at 3. Moustakas and Salvador Perez followed with run-scoring singles to seal the victory.

"It's a group that just won't give up," Chris Young said. "I'm not sure I've seen anything like it."

Video: Must C Comeback: Royals rally to stun Mets in 8th

World Series Game 5
There really wasn't any other way for the Royals to finish their incredible postseason, was there?

The Royals were trailing, 2-0, entering the ninth inning and Matt Harvey was back on the mound for the Mets. No matter. Cain worked a leadoff walk and Hosmer doubled him home. Familia relieved Harvey. One batter later, Hosmer scored the tying run on a groundout to third, thanks to some aggressive baserunning and an errant throw home by first baseman Lucas Duda.

Video: WS2015 Gm5: Hosmer races home to tie game in 9th

• Hosmer's mad dash instantly part of KC lore

In the 12th inning, the Royals broke through for five runs, taking the lead on a single by rookie Christian Colon in his first at-bat of the 2015 postseason.

Video: WS2015 Gm5: Royals take lead with five runs in 12th

"You guys know what we did all season," said Perez, who was named World Series MVP. "We never quit. We never put our heads down. We always compete to the last out."

Austin Laymance is a reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Kansas City Royals, Ben Zobrist, Johnny Cueto, Mike Moustakas, Salvador Perez, Ryan Madson, Lorenzo Cain, Kendrys Morales, Christian Colon, Alcides Escobar, Alex Gordon